© 2024 WGLT
A public service of Illinois State University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Mid Central Touts Community House Impact In First Year

Rodney Davis and Matt Drat
Eric Stock
/
WGLT
Mid Central Community Action's Matt Drat, right, speaks with U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis outside the Jefferson Street Community House on Monday, July 30, 2018.

The agency that runs the Jefferson Street Community House in west Bloomington said its programs and events have attracted more than 500 visitors in its first year.

Mid Central Community Action opened the home in June 2017 amid concerns by some residents who feared Bloomington Police would use the home to simply make more arrestsin more impoverished parts of the city. 

MCAA officials stressed its use as an office for police officers working in the neighborhood was just one component of the home's use. 

“Residents feel like they have an opportunity to meet and talk with varying members of the community, whether it be leadership from the city council, whether it be from the police department,” Mid Central's director of community engagment Matt Drat explained. “All of the things we envisioned at the Jefferson Street Community House to occur have happened.”

The community house at 828 W. Jefferson St. hosts events monthly, such as neighborhood cleanups and ice cream socials with a cop.

Staff from Mid Central hosted U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, on Monday for a tour of its home rehab sites and other projects that aim to reduce poverty.

“I think you just turn your head a couple of ways you can see what’s going on,” Drat told Davis as they stood at the corner of Jefferson and Howard streets in front of the community house.

“Oh I see it,” Davis replied. “This is great.”

Drat explained to Davis how Mid Central assists low-income families through employment, education, housing, nutrition and emergency services.

“This is a great example of why it’s important that we have local control when it comes to Community Services Block Grant dollars that we give out at the federal level every year,” Davis said.

Mid Central received $450,000 in federal funds to assist low-income families in McLean and Livingston counties.

WGLT depends on financial support from users to bring you stories and interviews like this one. As someone who values experienced, knowledgeable, and award-winning journalists covering meaningful stories in Central Illinois, please consider making a contribution.

Eric Stock is the News Director at WGLT. You can contact Eric at ejstoc1@ilstu.edu.
Related Content